The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1887-01-14

the witness I'm that case he would have the
advantage Of distance, in which to give impetus
to the thrust, which would be denied in an at
tempt against himself These interesting
arguments, although listened to with patience
and courtesy, failed to shake the opinion OF the
authorities. Tie inquest, however, was adj
journed for a few days so that inquiries
might be made concerning the bearded man
described by the railway clerk.
When the proceedings were resumed nothing
had boen heard of the mysterious stranger.
There was nothing unusual about that, said
the police. A man Of extremely nervous and
retiring disposition would instinctively avoid
being mixed up in an affair of the kind, and,
having no important testimony to offer, would
probably keep out of the way. AS it was con-
sidered that further inquiry was unnecessary,
the facts at the disposal OF the police being
sufficient, the inquest was brought TO a con-
~clusiOn. In summing up for the jury the cor
oner weighed the evidence for the theory Of
suicide against the medical opinion, very much
in favor Of the former. The strong points in
that evidence were three-viz: a. the attitude
of the dead man; (2) the absence of any signs
of a struggle; and 81 the fact that Mr.. COwen
had recently suffered several financial losses
through speculation in stocks. On this last
| point several of the deceased's city friends
gave testimony. Mr.. Cowen, it appeared, was
q gentleman of considerable private fortune,
who had been induced several months before
his death TO try his luck on the Stock Ex-
change. The results were unfortunate, and it
was asserted that when he met his fate he was
returning home after a very bad day"
This evidence, which though plausible was
circumstantisl, was permitted to overweight
that Of DR.. Ford, which was scientific and pos
tive. Assuming the latter to be correct, it
was argued, Mr.. Cowen was murdered. Was
such a thing conceivable, possible! Could a
man be stabbed to death in that big artery of
human motion, the Underground Railway, and
the murderer, re%d-handed, walk of uudetect-
ed! Certainly notl The idea was too absurd
to admit of argument! So thought the po-
lice, so thought the coroner, SO thought the
majority of the public, and so thought the
jury, who returned a verdict of feo-ds-se.
But DR.. Ford was mistaken, and he had at
least one sincere adherent-the murdered
mans widow. Mrs. Cowen understood moth
ing of medical science; but she knew her hus.
band, and her sublime faith i" him was un-
shaken by his death. Her evidence would
have touched any thirteen men less wooden
than the coroner and his jury, and, supporting
as it did the medical testimony, have ~conVinc-
ed any self-opinionated persons than the po-
lice authorities. She stated with an air of
simple conviction that should have been IRE
sistible, that her husband was the last man in
the world to have attempted his own life. His
disposition was too hopeful, too buoyant and
sanguine, TO admit of such an idea. His Pc
%cuniary losses did not appear to Vex him in the
slightest degree. They were heavy, but to a
man Of his fortune not absolutely serious. He
was sunshine itself, she declared, and during
the twelve years of their married life she had
never known him to experience an hours
gloom. Finally, he was too fond of his home,
of his friends. of his two children, of his wife,
of all that made life beautiful to him, to have
taken that life himself. Yet they called him
a suicide. @
Mr.. Jules Merlin atten led the inquest as a
witness. His evidence was of a slight and neg
alive character. He had heard no cry or noise
OF any unusual kind, and had seen no bearded
man. The tragedy, however, had doubtless
taken place before he entered the train.
Mr.. Merlin followed the proceedings with con
siderable interest, and after the verdict he
sought an interview with DR.. Ford.
Your arguments interested me profoundly,
DOCTOR he said, ''under the circumstance /
scarcely think the verdict a proper one.''
sit was a id improper one,'' declared the
doctor bluntly. GAS surely as the coroner is
an ass and the jury idiots, Mr.. Cowen was muir
dered."
"But the motiyeW asked the other.
Excuse me, sir replied the doctor, ssbut
that question is more like that of an imbecile
police inspector than of a man of sense. How
ara / to tell you the motiyea I'm not the MUIR
derer. / don't know him, and l can't get in
SIDE his mind. There was no evidence Of
motiye.n
That was the strong point against you,''
said Mr.. Merlin with a smile. 1T was not
robbery, for the mans iewelry aud money were
untouched. 1t was not revenge, for the man
apparently had no enemies. 1t had nothing
to do with secret societies, for he belonged to
none.n
"All very true, Mr.. Merlin, and yet the man
was murdered
"You think soav
sTll swear it,
Mr.. Merlin started.
"You scientists are very positiye,n he said.
ssWe are able to be. sir. Now evidence OF
motive is a very good thing for the police to
work upon II they can getit. When they have II,
Ibelieve they invariably hunt down their man.
A murder, however, does not necessarlally
bear the motive upon its face. Yet, judging
by this case, no apparent motive, no muir
der seems to be q police AXIOM
ssBut the knife was found in the dead mans
hand, = urged Mr.. Merlin.
"a hand poweriess to infict that death
blow. The murderer put 1t there"
And there was no appearance Of a strug-